1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to elevator systems, and more specifically to new and improved closure systems for operating the door, or doors, of an elevator car.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Elevator systems for transporting passengers between spaced floors or landings of a building, all utilize an elevator car having one or more doors operable between open and closed positions by a door operator mechanism, to enable passengers to enter and leave the elevator car at each floor. The door operator mechanism should be easy to install and maintain, it should be compact, it should have a low manufacturing cost, and it should be light in weight without comprising vertical support and horizontal stability. The weight of the door operator is especially important in hydraulic elevator systems, where the total weight of the elevator car must be lifted by the hydraulic jack and its power supply. If the weight of the elevator car can be reduced in a hydraulic elevator system, the size of the hydraulic jack, hydraulic pump, and the electric drive motor for the pump may all be reduced, which thus reduces the initial or manufacturing cost of the system, and it reduces the operating costs due to lower energy requirements.
Thus, it would be desirable and it is the object of this invention to significantly reduce the weight and cost of the door operator for an elevator car, and this new and improved door operator should be easy to install and maintain.